The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Chinese dragons are made up of the parts of other animals, and this tale’s eponymous water dragon has a snake’s skin, a fish’s scales, an eagle’s claws and a deer’s antlers.

His origin is the subject of this bilingual tale about a boy who finds a magical red stone that creates endless rice and coins. Generous Ah Bao shares with his neighbors, but unfortunately the stone also dries up all sources of water. When the boy dreams about a water dragon, he sets out to find him. He first meets a giant snake trapped by a rock and helps him by removing it. The snake thanks him by giving him a piece of skin and warning him about a greedy red monster. The boy then meets a carp, a deer and an eagle and does good deeds for them, in turn receiving a body part from each and the same warning. He finally meets the monster and bravely escapes, but he turns into the dragon himself, sending water down to the thirsty earth. Graceful watercolors in a traditional Chinese style with an autumnal palette suitably accompany the tale. The book was originally published in China, and no sources are given for the tale.

Although flatly ending with “That’s the legend told of the kind Water Dragon…” the story nonetheless has the satisfying elements of an entertaining and adventurous folktale. (Folktale. 6-9)

Be the first to discover new talent!
Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert.
Sign up here to receive your FREE alerts.